Steam-heating system.



T. G. MOUAT.

STEAM HEATING SYSTEM. APPLICATION FILED JULY24, 1909.

Patented Apr. 15, 1913. I

2 SHEETS-SHEBT 2.

Invent urf Z AQ S.

Witnesaes T. G. MOUAT. STEAM HEATING SYSTEM. APPLICATION FILED JULY 24, 1909.

1,058,781. Patented Apr. 15, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

WitnE 55 E 5 I Inventclr W A fgm W a -7W Atty 5 rriomas e. mou'h'r, or oLEVELAND, omo.

STEAM-HEATING SYSTEM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 15, 1913.

Application filed July '24, 1909. Serial No. 509,371.

To all whom it may concern v Be it known that I, THOMAS Gr. MoUA'r, a citizen of the United States, residing at (lleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Steam-Heating Systems, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description reference being bad to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to heating systems, and more especially to low-pressure heating systems wherein the heating fluid is circulated at a pressure at or slightly above the pressure of the atmosphere.

The general objects of the invention are to provide means whereby it will be possible, with the employment of standard radiators, to return water of condensation from the radiators in such systems to the same pipe by which steam is supplied thereto and at the same time permit of a graduated supply of steam from such pipe to said radiators, whereby they may be wholly or partially. heated to accommodate the radiators to varying conditio s in the apartments to be heated. So far as I am aware, it has hitherto been considered impossible, at least as a commercial proposition, to permit, in a system of this kind, of the return of water of condensation from the radiators to the supply pipe while operating the radiators otherwise than under a full supply of steam, that is to say, with the supply valve open to its full extent to equalize the pressure within. the radiators andthe supply pipe. If the valve opening were partly closed, the pressure would be greater in the supply pipe than in the radiator, and this condition, with the ordinary construction, would prevent the return of water of condensation through the valve. If the valve were open sufliciently to permit the return of water of condensation therethrough, its opening would also; permit steam to pass therethrough in suficient quantity to heat the entire radiatoizi By the invention disclosed herein, it is pos-j sible to provide for. the return of water ofi condensation to the supply pipe and at thei same time to graduate the supply of stearnj 'rom the same pipe to the radiator in accordance with the tem erature desired in the apartment in whic the radiator may be located. I 1

In carryin out my invention, Iemplo a conduit whic connects the radiator wit a source of steam supply and provide such conduit with a graduated valve for controlling the supply of steam to the radiator, with a liquid seal having a material head of liquid interposed between the radiator and the supply pipe and through which water of condensation is returned to said pipe, and a vacuum breaker arranged to prevent the creation of a material vacuum within the for supplying steamthrough the fitting to the radiator.

Generally speaking, the invention may be defined as consisting of the combinations of elements embodied in the claims hereto annexed and illustrated in the drawings,

forming part hereof, wherein Figure 1 represents .an elevation of a boiler furnace and radiators, showing a speclal form of fitting applied .to the conduit connecting the boiler and radiators; Fig. 2 represents an enlarged vertical sectional view through the fitting, certain parts being shown in elevation; and'Fig. 3 a sectional view on the line 33 of Fig. 2.

Describing the parts by reference characters, 1 denotes the casing of the fitting to which reference has been made hereinbefore. This casing is provided with a connection 2 for the steam supply. This connection communicates with the casing 1 above the bottom and is shownas projecting from one side thereof. At its lower end it communicates with a conduit 3 of asingle-pipe system.

4 denotes a duct which extends from a point slightly above the bottom of the casing 1 to the top thereof. This duct is conveniently formed by casting a partition 5 in the casing 1, the duct being formed between said partition and the adjacent wall of the casing. At {its upper end, the casing 1 is provided with pipe connections 6 and 7.

'The former communicates with the top of the casin and has at its upper end a graduating valve 8, said valve being provided section 12. I The latter section is'threaded into a radiator connection 13. This connection is conveniently formed as a casting having a threaded inner end 14 adapted for connection with a standard radiator and provided with two threaded connections at its opposite end, one of said, connections 15 receiving the pipe section 12 and the other connection 16 receiving the upper end of pipe section 7. The connection 13 is provided with a horizontal partition 17, whereby an upper passageway '18 and a lower passageway 19 are formed, the upper passageway communicating with the interior of easing 1 through' pipe sections 6 and 12 and valve 8 and the lower passageway communicating with the duct 4 through pipe section 7. The passageway 19 is provided with a pipe section 20 extending upwardly therefrom and provided with an inwardly open- "ing valve 21 adapted to seat upon and cover -a port 21. 4

As previously stated, the fitting is designed to be used in connection with a onepipe system and, in order to make it successful under all ordinary conditions of use,

the system must be provided with certain cotiperating features of construction. In Fig. 1, the conduit 3 is shown as communicating with the steam space of a boiler 22.

, This boiler should be provided with means for regulating the pressure under which the steam is supplied to the radiators. A pressure regulator such as shown in either of my applications No. 493,118, filed April 30th, 1909, orNo. 494,334, filed May 6, 1909, may be used. In the drawing I have shown, more or less conventionally, meansby which the pressure may be regulated or kept within certain maximum and minimum limits, said means comprising a pressure relief valve 23 adapted to open when the pressure in the boiler becomes excessive and a valve 24 of the vacuum type, which is adapted to open when the pressure in the boiler approximately equals or falls below that of the atmosphere. The valve 24 shown herein is of the same construction as the valve 21 hereinbeforedescribed. The conduit 3 will be provided with as many fittings as may be necessary to accommodate the required number of radiators. At its outermost end, conduit 3 is shown as extending downwardly gndi connected to the water space of the o1 er.

In operation, steam flows from the boiler through the conduit 3 and connection 2 into Water of condensation flows through the passageway 19 (below partition 17) and pipe section 7 into the duct 4, with the least possible resistance, owing to the shortness of the liquid column opposing such flow. This water accumulates within the casing until it reaches the level of connection 2, when it can flow into theconduit 3 and be returned to the boiler. The distance from the lower wall of the passageway 19 to the connection 2 will be suflicient to provide a sealed passageway having a material head of water interposed between the steam supply and the radiator and opposing the flow of steam through said passageway to prevent the seal from being broken and steam from entering the radiator through the duct 4 when the valve is closed and a partial vacuum formed within the radiator by the condensation of steam therewithin. In practice, I have found that a head of some ten inches is sufiicient to accommodate all ordinary ranges of pressure and prevent steam and water from entering the radiator through the duct 4 when the valve 8 is closed or when thesupply of steam through the same is so throttled as to produce a partial vacuum within the radiator. The pressure 'relief valve 23 will be set so as to lift before a pressure is produced in the supply .pipe sufiieient to break the seal between the casing and the radiator. Furthermore, by locating the connection 2 a short distance (some two inches) above the bottom of the casing, a sufiicient quantity of water will be maintained in the casing to supply the head extending from the lower end of the duct 4 to the passageway 19. The steam flowing through the valve 8 may thus be cut ofl", or reduced materially as compared with the pressure existing in the conduit 3, without forcing the water from the trap formed below connection 2 into the radiator and admitting steam to the radiator through passageway 19. This is particularly true when the vacuum breaking valve 21 is provided, as this valve will prevent the creation of such a partial vacuum within the radiator as will cause the breaking of the sealin the duct 4. On the other hand, should the valve 8 be closed and the pressure within the boiler be reduced to a point below that of the atmosphere, there will be danger that the water in the casing will be drawn through the conduit 3 into the boiler, thus breaking the seal. This action will be prevented by the vacuum-breaker 24, which will prevent such lowering of pressure in the boiler and the conduit 3.

By 'the invention described and illustrated herein, full control and graduation.

between the radiator and the supply conduit, enabling me to heat any desired portion ofaradiator while maintaining a free return Circulation for water of condensation to the same conduit 'which Supplies steam to the radiators This action maybe realized under all conditions of opening of the valve 8. After the valve is entirely closed, the water of condensation in the ra'diatorwill drain out freely, and the back ing up of steam or water from the supply conduit into the radiator, when the valve is entirely or partially closed, is eflectually prevented by the provision of the seal having the material head of liquid therein and by the vacuum-breaking valve 21 and the pressure-regulating valve 23. The

. breaking of the seal by suction created by the falling of .pressurein the boiler or in the conduit connecting the same with the radiators is prevented by the valve 24.

The fitting which I employ in connection with my system is of universalapplication and can be applied to existing radiators without any alteration in the latter. In practice, the casing 1 will be of such height as will enable the up I end to project above the floor 25 on whlch a radiator may be supported, while its lower end will not project below the lower surface of the floor joists 26. Assuming'that the smallest floor oists are eight inches in width and that the casing lis ten inches in height, the. upper end of the casing, will project about an inch above the floor when the lower end is substantially flush with the lower surface of at 4 in the casing the joists. Furthermore, it will be noted that the steam conduit and Water conduit are in effect totally distinct from each other, although, for purposes of convenience, the two may be formed at certain points as distinctpassageways in an integral structure, as seen at 18 and 19 in the connection 13 and Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a steam heating system, the com-L bination of a generator, a radiator, a conho duitconnecting said radiator and said generator, means operating automatically to I maintain within predetermined limits the pressure? of the steam flowing through said conduit, a valve for graduatmg the supply of steam from the conduit to the radiator, a conduit for water of condensation connectingthe radiator and the said steam conduit,

independently of said steam valve, said water conduit having therein a liquid seal adaptedto provide a material head of liquid to resist the breaking of the seal by pressure in the steam conduit, and means, located on the radiator side of said seal, operating automatically to limit the reduction of pressure in the radiator.

2. In a steam heating system, the combipressure of steam flowing through said conduit, a valve whereby the supply of steam from the conduit to the radiator may be graduated, a conduit for Water of condensation connecting said radiator and said steam conduit, said water conduit having therein a liquid seal and said seal adapted to oppose a material head of liquid to the passage of steam from the steam conduit through said water conduit, means preventing the creation of a partial vacuum in the radiator, and means preventing the formation of a partial vacuum in the steam conduit on the supply side of the said seal.

3. In a steam heating system, the combination of a generator, a radiator, a conduit, and a fitting interposed between said conduit and radiator, said fitting having a valvecontrolled passageway for supplying steamto the radiator and a sealed passageway for water of condensation also communicating with the radiator and adapted to interpose a material head of liquid between the steam supply and the radiator, and means, connected with said latter, passageway 0n the radiator side thereof, operating automatically to prevent the pressure in the radiator from falling to a point materially below that of the atmosphere.

4:. In a steam heating system, the combination of a generator, a conduit extending from said generator, means operating automatically to limit the pressure of the steam flowing therethrough, a radiator, a fitting interposed between said radiator and said conduit, said fitting having a passageway for supplying steam to the radiator, a valve for. graduating the pressure of steam supplied from said passageway to the radiator, a passageway for water of condensation communicating with said radiator, said latter passageway having therein a llquid seal adapted to oppose a material head of liquid to the flow of steam therethrough, means operating automatically to prevent the lowering of the pressure in the radiator to a point materially below that of the atmosphere, and means operating automatically to prevent a similar lowering of pressure in the conduit on the generator side of said fitting.

5. The combination, with a supplyconduit and a radiator, of a fittin interposed between said conduit and said radiator, said fitting having a passageway for supplying steam to the radiator, a valve for graduating the supply of steam through said passageway, and a return passageway for water of condensation, the latter passageway having a liquid seal providing a material head ofliquid between the supply conduit and the radiator, and means, located on the radiator side of the seal, operating automatically to limit the reduction of pressure in the radiator.

6. The combination of a casing, a fluid supply pipe communicating with said casing at a pointabove the bottom, a radiator connection having an upper and a lower passageway, a conduit connecting the upper portion of said casing with the upper passageway, a valve for graduatingthe supply of fluid through said conduit, a conduit connecting the lower portion of said casing with the lower passageway in said connection, said conduit communicating with said casing at a lower level than said fluid supply pipe, and means communicating with such lower passageway operating automatically to prevent the pressure within the radiator from falling. to a point materially below that of the atmosphere.

7. The combination, with a fluid supply pipe, of a casing, said casing having a connection with said fluid supply pipe at a said'casing at a lower level than said fluid supply pipe, and vacuum preventing means communicating with said lower passageway.

8. The combination, with a fluid supply pipe, of a radiator connection having a longitudinal partition dividing the same into an upper and a lower passageway, a conduit ext-endingbetween the fluid supply pipe and the upper passageway, a valve for graduating the supply of fluid through said conduit,

a sealed conduit extending between said fluid supply pipe and the lower passageway of said connection, and vacuum preventing means communicating with said lower passageway.

9. The combination, with a fluid sup-- ply pipe, of a connection adapted to be threaded into a radiator and having a longitudinal partition" dividing the same into an upper and a lower passageway, a casing, said fluid supply pipe communicating with said casing above the bottom thereof, a par tition in said casing forming with the adjacent portion of the outer wallthereof, a duct extending from below the mouth of said fluid supply pipe to the top of said casing, a pipe connecting said duct with the lower passageway of the connection, and a valved pipe connecting the space in said casing outside said duct with the upper passageway in said connection.

10. The combination, with a fluid supply pipe, of a radiator connection having an upper and a lower passageway, the lower passageway being provided with a valve adapted to open automatically inwardly or toward said passageway, a casing, said fluid supply pipe communicating with said casing above the bottom thereof, a valve-controlled J. .B. HULL, BRENNAN B. Wasr. 

